, in his school-boy wit, "Betwixt and between." I
couldn't stand that; my passion and my fist rose together, and hitting
my oppressor midway between the eyes, "There's my betwixt and between,"
said I. His nose began to bleed, and when I went down into the
school-room, the "new boy" had his hands well warmed with the ruler for
fighting.

Alas! the first year of my academic life was one of unqualified
wretchedness. For the two or three initiatory months, uncouth in
speech, and vulgar in mien, with no gilded toy, rich plum-cake, or
mint-new shilling to conciliate, I was despised and ridiculed; and when
it was ascertained by my own confession that I was the son of a
day-labourer, I was shunned by the aristocratic progeny of butchers,
linen-drapers, and hatters. It took, at least, a half-dozen floggings
to cure me of the belief that Joseph Brandon and his wife were my
parents. It was the shortest road to conviction, and Mr Root prided
himself upon short _cuts_ in imparting knowledge. I assure my readers
they were severe ones.

Mr Root, the pedagogue of this immense school, which was situated in
the vicinity of Islington, was a very stout and very handsome man, of
about thirty. He had formerly been a subordinate where he now
commanded, and his good looks had gained him the hand of the widow of
his predecessor. He was very florid, with a cold dark eye; but his face
was the most physical that I ever beheld. From the white, low forehead,
to the well-formed chin, there was nothing on which the gazer could rest
that spoke of intellectuality. There was "speculation in his eye," but
it was the calculation of farthings. There was a pure ruddiness in his
cheek, but it was the glow of matter, not that of mind. His mouth was
well formed, yet pursed up with an expression of mingled vanity and
severity. He was very robust, and his arm exceedingly powerful. With
all these personal advantages, he had a shrill, girlish voice, that made
him, in the execution of his cruelties, actually hideous. I believe,
and I make the assertion in all honesty, that he received a sensual
enjoyment by the act of inflicting punishment. He attended to no
department of the school but the flagellative. He walked in about
twelve o'clock, had all on the list placed on a form, his man-servant
was called in, the lads horsed, and he, in general, found ample
amusement till one. He used to make it his boast that he never allowed
any of his ushers to p